Hip Precautions

Your new hip has a limited safe range of motion. This means it can’t bend and turn as much as a natural hip. So you’ll need to move differently now than you did before surgery. This will help prevent your new hip from popping out of place (dislocating). Your health care team will teach you how to stay within your new hip’s safe range of motion.

Sitting Safely To protect your new hip, you must sit with your knees lower than or level with your hips. To do this, sit in chairs with high seats. Placing a firm pillow on the seat of a chair can also help.

A natural hip allows you to sit with your knees higher than your hips.

Your new hip has a limited range of motion. Always sit with your knees lower than or level with your hips.

Following Precautions

You must protect your new hip by following precautions (avoiding certain positions and movements). This will allow your hip to heal and help keep it from dislocating. You may also be told to limit how much weight you put on your operated leg (weight-bearing). You will learn how to follow precautions when lying, sitting, and standing.

Flexion Precaution Don’t bend over at the waist. And don’t sit with your hips lower than your knees.

Adduction Precaution Don’t cross your operated leg over your other leg. ALWAYS keep your thighs apart.

Internal Rotation Precaution Don't turn your operated leg inward (pigeon toe).